Career & Technical Center won state level award in Samsung’s ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ program in 2017

MOSS POINT, MS (WLOX) - One year later and two Moss Point educators are putting their winnings to good use.

Billy Carroll and Ignacio Lopez-Morales, both instructors at Moss Point High School’s Career & Technical Center, snagged free Chromebooks and laptops courtesy of Samsung in exchange for a grand plan to filter nutrients before it went into the bayou. Their project got them the state title back in 2017.

“Here in Moss Point, we always can use new technology,” Billy said. “Chromebooks definitely help us in education for sure,” Ignacio added.

Last year, Billy and Ignacio teamed up with students and applied for Samsung’s ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ Program.

Ignacio said,“I had no expectations going into it. I just saw it as a perfect excuse to kind of stray away from the traditional lesson plan type learning environment.”

“Well the first thing you have to do is submit an initial application where the students develop a concept to use STEM to solve a real world problem in their community," Billy added. He said they used the bayou and runoff from rain water and gasoline as a starting point.

“So we created a biofilter and placed it in front of the culvert. So as the rain water was pushing these nutrients into the bayou it would actually filter out the nutrients before it was released into the bayou," Billy said.

And it worked! Samsung noticed, asking the school to implement their plan. That plan won the Career & Technical Center the state award, and $25,000 in Chromebooks and laptops.

“Once we really developed this idea and turned it into an actual product, the kids really got engaged. They loved every minute of it. A lot of it was hands on, hauling dirt and moving rocks. The outdoor experience for them was something completely new," Ignacio said.

The Chromebooks add to the hands-on lesson plans Billy and Ignacio put together every single day, like 3D printers and water features. The two say it makes a big difference for students.

“Everything is on the internet these days. They’re class work from their teachers is on the internet. And so these Chromebooks and laptops will actually allow our students to complete their work more efficiently," Billy said.

Ignacio added, “They’re definitely growing up with all sorts of stimuli from and trying to dissuade them from paying attention to something as fast paced as their cell phone requires something of similar interest.”

It’s time for Samsung’s ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ program again. Educators can apply now through October 30 online here.

The flood threat in the South will be discussed Thursday, when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration releases its 2019 spring outlook. Experts plan a briefing on their flood forecast at the National Water Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.